Oh Sleep, Sweet Sleep

Sleep. I know I am not the only one that loves it, that even thrives from it. Sleep becomes a different experience and an overwhelming necessity when you have Fibromyalgia. There are many aspects to keeping healthy when living with FMS, not all of which are easy to do for anyone, including restful sleep and healthy sleep habits.  I found that sleep seems to be the most common problem and cure when coping with my Fibromyalgia symptoms.  There is of course the obvious issue of lack of sleep that seems to increase pain symptoms or at least becomes the catalyst for increased pain; but I have also found that there is an emotional side-effect of getting too much sleep (which I hope to have as a topic of another post). Be for warned, this is a long post.

Short wicks, Long hours

I used to burn the candles at both ends, especially when I was in college, and  I was really good at it too.  I remember there were days I would get up around 8 in the morning (which is pretty good by some college student standards), I would go to my classes, get a cup of coffee here and there, and maybe hit the library when I needed to.  I had a lot of papers to write because of my field of study, and found myself getting hyper-focused on my assignments. This system really worked for me; I needed the adrenaline rush of an approaching due date to plug through my papers. I rarely hit a wall in my writing, and when I did, there was always a walk to get coffee, smoke a cigarette (yes, I was a smoker- don't judge me!), and get back to it. There were nights I stayed up till 2:30 in the morning working on my assignments, but I had a sort of high of doing things that way. Before I go any further, let me just emphasize that this is NOT HEALTHY. So after a few nights in a row of working the way I did, I would hit the bar with my friends, have a few drinks, and stay until last call. I figured I worked hard, so I was going to play hard. And I did.

I found that after a few months of my not so healthy, inadvisable system, that I would get sick. It wasn't ever anything in particular, just a reoccurring case of tonsillitis. I never really stopped to think about the consequences of my sleep cycle or lack thereof.  Whenever I was sick, I would just allow myself to curl up in my bed and sleep for long lengths, stuff myself with green tea, vitamin C, and on some occasions an anti-biotic (which of course does nothing for a viral cold). I could sleep for what felt like days before I was better, only getting up to go to the bathroom and if well enough, my classes (again, don't judge me, I knew I wasn't contagious).

Even after college, there were occasions I would continue the cycle of staying up too late, getting up too early, doing too much during the week (I worked two jobs for almost 4 years), and rewarding myself by staying out late on the weekends. It did finally catch up to me though. In 2006, I had to have my tonsils removed because of the reoccurring tonsillitis. And, then in 2007 I was diagnosed with Fibro.

After my diagnosis it seemed like I could never get enough sleep. It still feels that way more often than I care to admit, but I know those around me probably get the sense I'm never well rested. The candle, I should say refuses to burn on both ends now.

The Human Body as a Living Battery

When I understood how my body works and how it works with the Fibromyalgia, things just made more sense, but it blew my mind how interconnected things are when it comes to our bodies.  I want to explain what it means to be constantly exhausted, no matter how much sleep I get.  So here it goes: picture your body like a rechargeable battery.  When you sleep, your battery is recharging with energy while your body is also healing and preparing for a new day. Ideally, when you get the recommended healthy, amount of sleep (I think for adults it ranges from 6-8, but please consult your physician, it is different for everyone) you wake feeling refreshed and ready to start your day, your body is prepared to fight off various ailments, and your sense of well-being is overall much better. When your battery is 100%, you feel 100%. When your battery is at 80% (or lower), you feel exactly that- 80%.

When you have Fibromyalgia, your battery doesn't recharge all the time or all the way, or it doesn't feel like you've recharged all the way. For me, I need at least a solid 8 hours of uninterrupted, blissful sleep. I need the type of sleep where all the lights are off, there isn't any extraneous sounds, the temperature isn't too hot or too cold, and my back and neck are well supported. Even under the most ideal circumstances, there are still nights I feel like I am tossing and turning, and I wake up feeling like I needed at least 2 more hours of sleep. Those are the good nights. On bad nights, I wake every couple of hours. 

Recharge, Refresh, and Rejuvenate

With all the variables that effect my sleep cycle, I think it's important to focus on what really matters: how to get a good night's rest when you have Fibromyalgia. Here are some things I have tried and that have worked for me, but I recommend that if you have persistent sleep problems, whether you have Fibromyalgia or not, you should contact your primary care physician. 

Do not burn the candle at both ends! 

This would seem like an obvious factor, but I know for me there are times I don't even know that I'm doing it.  Take some time each day to think about what time you get up in the morning, what activities you do during the day, and what time you usually go to bed.  Think about how you feel not just the next day, but the whole week, after you've stayed up late and gotten up early. If it helps, keep a journal.  There are some amazing apps out there for smartphones (including one I am trying for pain management, which I hope to report on at the end of the month). We all have busy lives, and it seems like there are "24 usable hours in a day" (a line from an old favorite Empire Records), but cramming each hour with something to do, and keeping a tight, back to back schedule is a good way to let your time get out of your control. Remember that you need to focus on you, as much as you need to focus on the other things that occupy your life.  You can't adequately accomplish all of the things you want to do if you aren't well rested.

Listen to your Body

It may sound crazy, but if you listen closely your body is telling you what you need. When you are so tired that you can hardly stand, you need to take a break; stop what you are doing and give yourself a few minutes to become centered, focused on your body, and relax.  If you are at home, and can take a short nap, listen to your body, a nap might be what you need. I find that there are times when I don't want to nap because I'm afraid that I will miss something, but I also have to be aware that if the desire to nap is so strong that I can't ignore it, that is a good indication that napping is exactly what my body needs. Remember you are only human, and if your battery isn't charging, you need to do what you can to keep what energy you do have going. 

Natural and home sleep remedies

This is where I remind everyone that I am not a doctor. I have no medical training. I only have the knowledge I've gained from my own experience and the steps I've taken to gain that knowledge.  I have found that when I feel like I'm about to have a Fibromyalgia flare, and I know I need more rest, a natural approach is what works best for me. 
First of all, I put aside anything that I'm doing- it can wait, my health is important to me. More often than not, the first thing I do is to take a melatonin tab. I use a melatonin lozenge that is made locally and dissolves on my tongue.  Most drug stores carry melatonin supplements in their vitamin section.  If your city/town has a local, natural food store, I would check there first because those types of stores focus on keeping vitamins and supplements as natural as possible. It has been my experience that one night of taking a melatonin often sets my schedule back on track; my sleep is uninterrupted, and I feel more energized in the morning. Sometimes though, it takes more than 1 night of good rest.  If this is the case, I do not take the lozenges for more than 3 days consecutively.  
If on the second day my sleep has not improved, I will add a warm bath with Epsoms salt and a couple of drops of lavender essential oil, followed by lavender lotion before I crawl into bed.  Epsoms salt can be used to help relax sore muscles and can be found very inexpensively at your local grocery store or pharmacy. Lavender is often used to help with relaxation and as an anti-inflammatory. Lavender essential oil can be purchased at most natural food stores and even online. Some major grocery and pharmacy chains also carry lavender Epsoms salt, so you do not need to buy both.  Because I use both independently of the other (I make my own Lavender Salve, which I will of course share the recipe for), I did purchase each.  If I remember correctly, the lavender oil was around $9 for a bottle, which seemed a little steep but a little goes a long way and I have had my bottle for almost 2 years and have not run out yet. 

Relaxation Practices

Here is where I may lose some of you, but I want to be honest and let you know what has helped me.  When I find I can't sleep and it is not due to overwhelming pain, and my mind will not shut off for the night, I find a relaxation practices help.  Relaxation practices can mean different things to different people.  Practices can include an evening stroll- not some extraneous, calorie burning, sweat inducing walk- just a casual evening stroll with a leisurely pace.  When I go on these walks (which I need to more than I have been), I go with my husband, our 3 kids, and our 2 dogs. The troops can be hard to rally, but they all enjoy the time outside once all is said and done. It gives us a chance to be away from cell phones, away from the household "to do list", and away from the TV.  Where we live, it is quiet, but even in the city peace can be found on a walk.  When we walk, there are times my husband and I just listen; we listen to our children talk about their day, their thoughts, and what matters to them.  This is surprisingly peaceful, and I think it has more to do with hearing about their lives and what their thoughts about the world are. In the summertime, I love listening to all the bugs, frogs, and sometimes birds.  The crickets remind me of my childhood in Maryland, and I always find that relaxing.  
When I can, I try to practice yoga.  There is something about focusing your body on balancing in yoga poses that helps me find my center.  I still consider myself a beginner at yoga and it is okay to feel uncomfortable when you first start practicing yoga; it is not something that we all learn at a young age, and the movements and poses may seem unnatural at first.  Most of the poses I do involve focusing on my breathing, usually in a seated or standing position.  There are some wonderful poses that help loosen tension in your back and neck. If you aren't sure where to start with yoga, and you think it may work for you, look for beginner DVD's online that emphasize on evening practices to help calm you. 
Reading is a long time favorite past-time of mine, and I rarely get to read for pleasure anymore (this WILL change once I am finished with my Master's).  I had the chance to read The Hunger Games series this last month, and I really enjoyed it.  The novels were an easy read, but what was more important was that I slowed down, found a comfy place on the couch to read, and was able to relax while doing so.  Reading is a simple pleasure that helps us to slow our pace, and takes to a place of calm and imagination. 
Finally, when I am really stressed out and need to chill (be it at night or during the day), and nothing else seems to work, I meditate.  I don't sing "om" to myself or burn incense (all the time), but I find a comfortable spot to sit (inside or out), I close my eyes, and I slowly describe to myself the most relaxing place I can think of.  Usually, I take myself to the same place: a small, cool stream that runs through an old forest.  I picture the color of the leaves, the roughness of the bark, how the sun is shinning through the treetops, what sounds I might here, the coolness of the water when it touches my finger tips.  I picture myself sitting on a flat rock by the water and I let the sun warm my face, and my finger tips graze the stream. I tell myself about the breeze the wrestles the leaves, and sings around my skin. I let myself go in this place; it is my favorite place and I have never been there physically. Everyone is different, and this may not be the place for you; perhaps you are at peace on the beach by the ocean, or in a meadow under a tree.  Even if you have never thought of a place to "go" when you need some peace, this is an excellent practice for centering yourself and it works your imagination as you describe to yourself this place that brings your internal peace. 




I know how difficult it can be to find a system of sleep that works best, whether you have Fibro or not.  I know that sleep plays a major factor in how well I feel and the severity of my symptoms. Gaining control of your sleep cycle and sleep habits is just one step in helping to manage and cope with the physical pain that is associated with Fibromyalgia.  When you find a method of recharging your batteries and maximizing the amount and kind of sleep you get, your able to better to manage not only your pain symptoms, but your everyday life.  Big tasks don't seem so overwhelming, and as you are better able to care for yourself, you are better able to accomplish your goals, strike out those "to do's", and mostly, to care for others.  Always listen to your body- it is telling you what you need most.